Take a seat at the periodic table

THIRD-year Federation University Australia performing arts students will take to the stage tomorrow night to perform A Seat at the Periodic Table.

Written and performed by the company, the show includes a series of short performances.

People can experience an actor discovering an empty space, songs of youth and age, words overheard on a train, and more.

“We were given absolutely no prompt or anything, and given free rain to do whatever we wanted,” student Lachlan Whatman said.

“A lot of people wanted to try new things, things that were stepping outside their comfort zone, and really challenged themselves with this new dimension.”

The performance name is inspired by how chemical elements in the periodic table are arranged into groups.

“Each group is its own bundle of elements, and you could say each person is an element within these groups that are unique in their own way,” Whatman said.

“It’s a small thread of their identity that’s been put into these groups of elements.”

Student Maalini Ellis said audience members will enjoy the diverse stories within the performance.

“There’s all sorts of genres from musical theatre to horror, comedy and dance,” she said. “There’ll be something for everyone.”

A Seat at the Periodic Table will be on until Wednesday 16 April at the Helen Macpherson Smith Theatre.

To purchase a ticket, visit bit.ly/42c6NM1 .